On the Incarnation of the Eternal Word
1. John’s Christmas portrait introduces us to the pre-existent life of the Word (John 1:1-4a)
a) Who was in that manger? The Word who is God! (vs. 1-2)
The pre-existent life of Jesus is proven through 3 tight statements:
- Through stating “when” the Word was: “In the beginning was the Word”
- Through stating “where” the Word was: “and the Word was with God”
- Through stating “what” the Word was: “and the Word was God”
b) Who was in that manger? The Creator of the universe! (vs. 3)
- Before a single thing was created, before the cosmos, before the angels, before a single speck of matter was created, He was there! …and not only was He there, but He is the Creator of it all!
c) Who was in that manger? The One Who is Eternal Life! (vs. 4)
- “ZOE” – sometimes used to describe one’s physical life or lifespan. Other times it is used to communicate the concept of eternal life, like here in reference to the “life” in the Word
Christmas is a prime time for us to answer this question: “What is your life?” Are you finding it in your possessions? Watch out! If you’re not solely finding your life in Christ, you’ll never truly know what real life is. (cf. Luke 12:15)
2. John’s Christmas portrait introduces us to the illuminating light of Jesus (John 1:4b-13)
- John the Baptist was a witness “testifying” to the reality of the Christ so that all might believe, and so, as John was a witness to the light, God worked through him, giving all who heard an opportunity to respond.
a) Who was in that manger? The True Light of the world!
Are you a witness brightly emanating the light of Christ?... or is your dimmer switch set too low? We are called to be secondary light that reflects His Light and give testimony in the courtroom of today’s world.
- FEAST OF TABERNACLES - Jesus declares, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)
b) Who was in that manger? The Mediator between God and Man (vs. 12-13)
- The Mediator entered this world in order to experience rejection and to die on a rugged cross to save the world.
3. John’s Christmas portrait introduces us to the lowly incarnation of Jesus (John 1:14-17)
a) Who was in that manger? The Godman Jesus Christ (vs. 14)
- “At one and the same time—this is the wonder—as Man he was living a human life, and as Word he was sustaining the life of the universe, and as Son he was in constant union with the Father.” 1
b) Who was in that manger? The Saviour who is able to sympathize with our weaknesses.
- In His humanity, Jesus understands us on the human-to-human level. He understands our pains, our trials, our griefs, and temptations. In His humanity He has faced and felt them all.
- He became flesh and dwelt among us to grow, to live, to walk the hard road of life before us, so that lighting the way for us, He shows us what it truly means to be human, to go through life’s throws, and to have the perfect sympathizer on our side, understanding all of our weaknesses in the flesh and teaching us how to be overcomers in Him.
Are you in awe of the wonder and glory, the magnificence and mystery of the incarnation of the Eternal Word? Have you been stirred to true tidings of comfort and joy? That manger in Bethlehem was bursting with life, light, condescension, humility, the greatest love, compassion, and genuine sympathy. In Christ’s incarnation was wrapped the embodiment showing us the heart of the Father; a most dramatic sacrifice to carry us from our sinful, weak, and hopeless state and lift us from our pits of despair to bring us into union with God. How could we gaze upon the incarnation of Jesus Christ and not be uplifted to worship? Not be uplifted to reprioritize and reorient our hearts and lives to give all our affection and attention to Him? Whatever gifts you receive this Christmas, I pray that your reflection, commitment, and conviction on the implications of Christ’s incarnation would make every other gift look so trivial and insignificant because, compared to the gift of the Godman, they truly are.
1 Athanasius – “On the Incarnation”
Series Information
